Preliminary Mapping of Offshore Areas Suitable Wind Development in Virginia, with Identification of Excluded Areas to Avoid Potential Conflicts, and Mapping of Offshore Avian Habitats
I am part of an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers working together as the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium (VCERC) to explore the development of offshore wind power in federal waters ( > 3 nautical miles from shore) off the coast of Virginia. VCERC has received initial funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia to conduct basic research on the best technologies to harness wind energy and the possible impacts of wind energy production on fish and wildlife resources. In 2008, my lab group will 1) conduct an initial assessment of existing knowledge regarding avian use of offshore areas in Virginia identified for potential wind energy development, 2) identify avian research needed before moving forward on any potential proposals for wind energy development, 3) convene a meeting of state and national experts to identify next steps in the process of potentially developing Virginia's offshore wind energy resources.